Ryan Reynolds is not allowed to improvise any of his Deadpool lines in the upcoming third film.
The Canadian actor, 46, may now face a very puzzling situation as the big screen version of the Deadpool character is famous for his motor-mouthed ad-libs.
Filming for the third film has clashed with the ongoing 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. And it turns out that the strike has a much bigger impact on the next Deadpool film than most fans probably anticipated.
As one of the first major films to head into production amid the strike, for which thousands of writers have stopped typing to protest for increased funding and job security and to limit the use of AI in writing, Deadpool 3 is already in a unique predicament.
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For example, Marvel shut down pre-production on its long-gestating reboot of the Blade films, which is set to star Mahershala Ali in the main role. Production was set to begin this month in Atlanta with a September 2024 release date pencilled in to the MCU release schedule, but that could change.
Which brings us back to Deadpool and Ryan Reynolds. As production continues while the strike continues, there are strict WGA rules about what can and can’t be done to a script while writers are on strike.
Although there are rules that say actors can improvise lines on films during a strike, the rules regarding whether writers can write lines for a production right now are strict.
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Reynolds has a writing credit for Deadpool 3, along with Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells and Shawn Levy.
Since improvising is such a huge part of Reynolds’ performance as the character, hypothetically speaking, any deviations from the film’s script could break the WGA rules.
What would a Deadpool movie look like without Reynolds’ famous improv moments, you ask? We may soon find out. If Reynolds does deviate from the script, he could hypothetically argue he’s fulfilling his role as an actor or a producer (he’s a full multi-hyphenate when it comes to Deadpool, plus he co-owns Wrexham F.C. which makes him a very busy man).
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Deadpool 3 is set to kick off Phase Six of the MCU and Hugh Jackman is set to reprise his role as Wolverine.
It’s a big deal.
Despite apparently playing Wolverine for the final time in Logan in 2017, the adamantium-filled mutant will return to the big screen as ‘something completely new’, according to Reynolds.
The announcement also revealed what could be the first official logo for Deadpool 3; the antihero's insignia with three classic Wolverine claw marks slashed across the middle.
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Deadpool 3 is expected to hit cinemas on November 8, 2024.
Topics: Deadpool, Film and TV, Marvel, Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool and Wolverine, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hugh Jackman
Gregory Robinson